LCSO: Three arrested for Upper Lake kidnapping

UPPER LAKE -- Authorities arrested three men Tuesday for allegedly kidnapping a woman, accusing her of stealing marijuana and threatening to torture and rape her late last year.

Charles Vasil Statler, James Daniel Austin and Ricky Lane McCullough remained in custody at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility Wednesday afternoon.

Statler, 53, of Santa Rosa was already in jail custody on an unrelated case and for an alleged parole violation, which stemmed from a 1997 murder conviction in the county, according to Lake County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) Lt. Steve Brooks.

The three men were identified as suspects in the early-December kidnapping after a nearly month-long investigation, Brooks stated.

The woman first contacted deputies Dec. 12, saying three men kidnapped her in the Upper Lake area eight days earlier, Brooks said.

She reported three men blocked her car with their vehicle before getting out, approaching her and telling her not to run, the lieutenant stated. One of the men allegedly threatened to kill the woman.

Brooks alleged the men put the woman in their vehicle and drove to a remote property in Upper Lake. One of the men allegedly followed in the victim's vehicle.

"The suspects showed the victim a hole in the ground. They said if she did not tell them what they wanted to know, they were going to put her in the hole," Brooks stated.

The men then allegedly put the woman's fingers into a pair of pliers and threatened to cut them off, accusing her of stealing $150,000 worth of marijuana.

Brooks alleged the men threatened the woman for about two hours before putting her back in their vehicle and driving around Lake County.

"The suspects then threatened to gang rape the victim if she did not tell them what they wanted," the lieutenant added.

The men allegedly took the woman back to her home after about seven hours and stole cash from her.

LCSO detectives continued their investigation and identified Statler, Austin and McCullough as the alleged culprits, Brooks stated. All three were arrested on warrants Tuesday.

Statler was arrested at the Lake County jail and booked on a warrant charging him with kidnapping, carjacking, false imprisonment, robbery, criminal threats, threatening a victim, burglary and conspiracy, Brooks stated. His bail is set at $1 million.

Austin, 41, of Clearlake Oaks was booked on a warrant charging him with kidnapping, carjacking, false imprisonment, robbery, theft and conspiracy, Brooks stated.

McCullough, 58, of Clearlake Oaks was booked on a warrant charging him with kidnapping, carjacking, false imprisonment and conspiracy, Brooks stated.